US3505119A - Fluid supply systems - Google Patents

Fluid supply systems Download PDF

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Publication number
US3505119A
US3505119A US593459A US3505119DA US3505119A US 3505119 A US3505119 A US 3505119A US 593459 A US593459 A US 593459A US 3505119D A US3505119D A US 3505119DA US 3505119 A US3505119 A US 3505119A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
cell
fuel
oxidant
pressure
hydrogen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US593459A
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English (en)
Inventor
Peter James Gillespie
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Energy Conversion Ltd
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Energy Conversion Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3505119A publication Critical patent/US3505119A/en
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D11/00—Control of flow ratio
    • G05D11/02—Controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid or fluent material
    • G05D11/13—Controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid or fluent material characterised by the use of electric means
    • G05D11/131—Controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid or fluent material characterised by the use of electric means by measuring the values related to the quantity of the individual components
    • G05D11/132—Controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid or fluent material characterised by the use of electric means by measuring the values related to the quantity of the individual components by controlling the flow of the individual components
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B9/00—Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members
    • F04B9/08—Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid
    • F04B9/10—Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being liquid
    • F04B9/109—Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being liquid having plural pumping chambers
    • F04B9/111—Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being liquid having plural pumping chambers with two mechanically connected pumping members
    • F04B9/113—Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being liquid having plural pumping chambers with two mechanically connected pumping members reciprocating movement of the pumping members being obtained by a double-acting liquid motor
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D11/00—Control of flow ratio
    • G05D11/006—Control of flow ratio involving a first fluid acting on the feeding of a second fluid
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04007—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids related to heat exchange
    • H01M8/04014—Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
    • H01M8/04022—Heating by combustion
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
    • H01M8/04119—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
    • H01M8/04156—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04276—Arrangements for managing the electrolyte stream, e.g. heat exchange
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • Fuel cells are constructed to include a pump for the oxidant supply to the cell which is operated by energy derived from pressurized fuel used in the cell operation enabling the oxidant supply to be automatically controlled in proportion to the fuel supply.
  • the oxidant supply is advantageously in stoichiometric excess and a bypass circuit uses excess oxidant to remove moisture and control the electrolyte concentration.
  • a fluid supply system of the kind described is arranged in accordance with one aspect of the invention, so that pressure energy of the pressurised fluid performs useful work.
  • a pressurised fluid is used in a particular system involving the flow of at least one other fluid, at least some of the pressure energy of the pressurised fluid may be used to cause or assist said flow of the or a further fluid in the system.
  • the fluids may be gaseous, vaporous or liquid.
  • pressure energy of the source is used to cause or assist the circulation of the electrolyte.
  • the invention may be applied to the feeding of fluids in a system in given proportions by arranging that the release of the pressure energy of the one fluid when that fluid is fed in the system is used to operate a pump or pumps for the one or more other fluids, the delivery of the pump(s) being such as to feed the other fluid(s) in the required proportion.
  • a pump may be adapted to be of variable delivery.
  • the invention is particularly applicable to the operation of fuel cells wherein the fuel gas, such as hydrogen, is supplied from a pressurised supply and the oxidant, such as oxygen or air, is required to be pumped into the cell; for then, in accordance with the invention, pressure energy of the fuel gas can be caused to feed the oxidant through a pump system so that the fuel and oxidant are supplied in definite proportions.
  • the fuel gas such as hydrogen
  • the oxidant such as oxygen or air
  • hydrogen is suitably stored under high pressure, say, at atmospheres (about 1500 p.s.i.) in a cylinder 10.
  • the hydrogen could be generated under pressure. It passes by way of pressure reducing valve 11 to control valve 12 and through line 13 to the inlet valves 14a and 14b (not shown in detail) of a reciprocating actuator, for an air pump 23.
  • a mechanical, or other, linkage is provided to control the opening and closing respectively of the inlet and outlet valves of the actuator and of the pump; the form of such linkage will be quite evident to those skilled in the art and, in order to simplify the diagram, the linkage is omitted.
  • the hydrogen is admited by one of the inlet valves, say valve 14a, to one side of the piston 16 in cylinder 15.
  • This causes the piston to move to the right, as seen in the drawing, the hydrogen in the cylinder 15- on the other side of piston 16 passing to line 17 via open outlet valve 18b during this movement and then to the fuel electrode chamber of the fuel cell 19.
  • Piston 16 is linked by connecting rod 21 to the piston of the air pump 23; this piston 22 is therefore moved by piston 16 to cause air to be induced to one side of the piston 22 from air intake 25, on air purifier 26, if required, and the inlet valve 27a. Air on the other side of piston 22 is expelled from cylinder 24 through the outlet valve 28b to line 29 and thence to the oxidant electrode chamber of the fuel cell.
  • inlet valve 14a and outlet valve 1811 are closed and inlet valve 14b and outlet valve 18a are opened so that the piston is driven to the left, as seen in the drawing, by incoming hydrogen.
  • This causes movement of piston 22 similarly in the opposite direction to maintain the supply of air from the pump 23 while at the same time inducing another charge of air to the pump, the inlet valve 271: and the outlet valve 28a now being opened and the other valves 27a and 28b being closed.
  • the rate of feed of the hydrogen is governed by the diaphragm-operated control valve 12, the diaphragm 20 of the valve operating against a spring (not shown) to maintain the required hydrogen pressure in the fuel cell as the amount of hydrogen varies according to the demand by the cell. If no current is required to be delivered and the cell is disconnected, no hydrogen is consumed. Since typical operating pressures will be 10 p.s.i. in the line between the reducing valve .11 and the control valve 12, 5 p.s.i. in the line .13, 2 in. of water pressure in each of the lines 17 and 29, when the cell is shut off it will be observed that the actuator would have the residual differential pressure drop of 5 p.s.i. to 2 in.
  • a pressure release valve 35 is provided which communicates with this side of the cell and is set to open at a pressure wtich exceeds, for example by /2 in. of water pressure, the pressure on the diaphragm 20 necessary to close the valve 12.
  • the hydrogen passed by the actuator in assuming its pres sure balanced state is thus vented from the cell itself before a detrimental pressure has built up.
  • the hydrogen thus vented by the valve 3-5 may, if desired, be consumed in a suitable catalytic burner 36; on the other hand it may be recovered for subsequent use in the cell, as will be apparent.
  • hydrogen at 1500 p.s.i. possesses pres sure energy sufiicient to pump over seven hundred and fifty times its own volume of air against a back pressure of 2 in. of water pressure.
  • this volume ratio far exceeds the practical requirement discussed above and, in practice, the hydrogen pressure would preferably be throttled to a reduced pressure of about p.s.i.
  • the volume ratio may still be of the order of twenty against the 2 in. of water back pressure at approximately 40 percent actuator/ pump efficiency.
  • the amount of water vapour produced for a given consumption of fuel is known, as is the amount of excess oxidant to remove this water vapour. If the fuel/oxidant ratio is chosen to give this amount of excess oxidant then, in theory, regardless of the current being taken from the cell, and hence fuel consumed, the quantity of oxidant should always be such as to remove the water vapour produced and, again theoretically, no further control is needed for operation of the cell. In practice, however, there are variations, such as temperature variations in the cell itself and in the oxidant supply, and the moisture content of the latter may also vary.
  • FIGURE 2 illustrates the simplicity of the control. Air from the pump 23 is fed through line 29 to a diverting valve 37 (a spool type is illustrated by way of example) which is under the control of a device 38; this device may be a differential humidity device or some other sensing device, such as one sensing changes of electrolyte strength. This arrangement serves as a trim to control the proportions of the incoming oxidant supply used for water removal in the cell.
  • the incoming air is divided into a stream passing via line 39 to the cell and a stream passing direct to the outlet to atmosphere via line 40.
  • the proportion in line 39 will provide the stoichiometric quantity of oxidant together with a normal quantity of excess air to remove the water vapour thus produced.
  • the sensing means 38 signal through its appropriate equipment as will be evident to those skilled in the art, that there is a tendency for excess water vapour to remain in the cell, the diverting valve 37 is moved to cause less air to be diverted through line 40 and more to pass into line 39 until such time as conditions have been corrected; the valve 37 may then be returned to its normal setting or even moved to a position in which more air is diverted through line 40 as will be Well understood.
  • the flow of hydrogen from a pressurized source is arranged to cause about eight times the stoichiometric volume of air to be pumped and the characteristics of the cell and conditions of operation are such that about five times normally flows through line 39 to the cell while about three times is diverted through line 40 to bypass the cell. In that way there is latitude for the diverting means to operate to allow for all eventualities of requirements for water removal.
  • the invention therefore provides the basis for a very sim le automatic control for fuel cell operation, particularly for fuel cells of the trapped electrolyte type.
  • hydrogen will be consumed at a rate depending upon the current demanded and the oxidant will combine to form Water at the same time as the current is generated.
  • Depletion of the hydrogen in a line 17 causes valve 12 to operate to increase the hydrogen pressure in line 13; thereupon the hydrogen actuator commences to feed more hydrogen to the cell and at the same time to replenish the air (oxygen) supply.
  • the diverting means will probably be set to reduce to a minimum the amount of air diverted as the cell will probably be cold and the maximum drying effort will be required. As steady running conditions are achieved the controls will gradually assume normal settings.
  • a fuel cell system wherein oxidant is pumped from an oxidant source in controlled proportion to the fuel supply by energy of pressurized fuel fluid which comprises a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, a pressurized fuel source, pump means comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, each of said chambers being divided into first and second parts, said first chamber being connected by duct means to said pressurized fuel source and said fuel electrode through valve means that supplies fuel to the first part of said first chamber when fuel in the second part of said first chamber may flow to said fuel electrode and then switches flow of fuel to the fuel electrode from the first part while supplying fuel from said pressurized source to the second part of said first chamber, said second chamber being connected by duct means to said oxidant source and said oxidant electrode through valve means that supplies oxidant to the first part of said second chamber when oxidant in the second part of said second chamber may flow to said oxidant electrode and then switches flow of oxidant to the oxidant electrode from the first part while supplying oxidant from said oxidant source to the second
  • a fuel cell system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second chamber has a volume capacity at least equal to the volume capacity of said first chamber whereby said pump means pumps oxidant to said oxidant electrode in a proportion at least substantially in the stoichiometric ratio to the fuel supply.
  • a fuel cell system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the volume capacity of said second chamber is in excess of the volume capacity of said first chamber whereby flow of oxidant in the fuel system is in excess of said stoichiometric ratio and water vapor formed as a result of the cell reaction is removed from the cell by entrainment with excess oxidant.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)
US593459A 1965-11-17 1966-11-10 Fluid supply systems Expired - Lifetime US3505119A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB48952/65A GB1172823A (en) 1965-11-17 1965-11-17 Improvements in or relating to Fuel Cell Systems.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3505119A true US3505119A (en) 1970-04-07

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ID=10450581

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US593459A Expired - Lifetime US3505119A (en) 1965-11-17 1966-11-10 Fluid supply systems

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3505119A (pt-PT)
JP (1) JPS5149049B1 (pt-PT)
CH (1) CH462903A (pt-PT)
DE (1) DE1596063A1 (pt-PT)
FR (1) FR1501296A (pt-PT)
GB (1) GB1172823A (pt-PT)
NL (1) NL6616218A (pt-PT)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3739573A (en) * 1970-10-20 1973-06-19 Tyco Laboratories Inc Device for converting electrical energy to mechanical energy
WO2001054214A2 (de) * 2000-01-19 2001-07-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh Vorrichtung zur zufuhr wenigstens zweier flüssiger medien zu verbrauchern einer brennstoffzellenanlage
US20030124404A1 (en) * 2000-01-19 2003-07-03 Michael Nau Device for supplying at least two liquid media to consumers of a fuel cell system
US20040206400A1 (en) * 2003-04-21 2004-10-21 Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Gas decompression device for fuel cell system
US20080268298A1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2008-10-30 Eickhoff Steven J Power source with capacitor
US20080268299A1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2008-10-30 Honeywell International, Inc. Power source with capacitor
EP3852176A1 (de) * 2020-01-20 2021-07-21 Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. Brennstoffzellensystem

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63200101U (pt-PT) * 1987-06-08 1988-12-23

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2813398A (en) * 1953-01-26 1957-11-19 Wilcox Roy Milton Thermally balanced gas fluid pumping system
US3106494A (en) * 1960-07-20 1963-10-08 Honeywell Regulator Co Differential pressure regulator control system
US3152016A (en) * 1962-09-20 1964-10-06 Allis Chalmers Mfg Co Pressure powered pump
US3160528A (en) * 1961-11-30 1964-12-08 Exxon Research Engineering Co Portable power plant

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2813398A (en) * 1953-01-26 1957-11-19 Wilcox Roy Milton Thermally balanced gas fluid pumping system
US3106494A (en) * 1960-07-20 1963-10-08 Honeywell Regulator Co Differential pressure regulator control system
US3160528A (en) * 1961-11-30 1964-12-08 Exxon Research Engineering Co Portable power plant
US3152016A (en) * 1962-09-20 1964-10-06 Allis Chalmers Mfg Co Pressure powered pump

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3739573A (en) * 1970-10-20 1973-06-19 Tyco Laboratories Inc Device for converting electrical energy to mechanical energy
WO2001054214A2 (de) * 2000-01-19 2001-07-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh Vorrichtung zur zufuhr wenigstens zweier flüssiger medien zu verbrauchern einer brennstoffzellenanlage
WO2001054214A3 (de) * 2000-01-19 2002-02-28 Bosch Gmbh Robert Vorrichtung zur zufuhr wenigstens zweier flüssiger medien zu verbrauchern einer brennstoffzellenanlage
US20030124404A1 (en) * 2000-01-19 2003-07-03 Michael Nau Device for supplying at least two liquid media to consumers of a fuel cell system
US6913676B2 (en) * 2000-01-19 2005-07-05 Robert Bosch Gmbh Device for supplying at least two liquid media to consumers of a fuel cell system
DE10002003B4 (de) * 2000-01-19 2012-11-15 Robert Bosch Gmbh Vorrichtung zur Zufuhr wenigstens zweier flüssiger Medien zu Verbrauchern einer Brennstoffzellenanlage und ein Fahrzeug mit einer derartigen Vorrichtung
US20040206400A1 (en) * 2003-04-21 2004-10-21 Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Gas decompression device for fuel cell system
US7028706B2 (en) * 2003-04-21 2006-04-18 Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Gas decompression device for fuel cell system
US20080268298A1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2008-10-30 Eickhoff Steven J Power source with capacitor
US20080268299A1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2008-10-30 Honeywell International, Inc. Power source with capacitor
EP3852176A1 (de) * 2020-01-20 2021-07-21 Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. Brennstoffzellensystem

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1501296A (fr) 1967-11-10
DE1596063A1 (de) 1971-01-07
JPS5149049B1 (pt-PT) 1976-12-24
NL6616218A (pt-PT) 1967-05-18
CH462903A (de) 1968-09-30
GB1172823A (en) 1969-12-03

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